We've been to Bazbeaux Pizza a few times but not since starting the blog. If you're an Indy local this place likely needs no introduction, and if you're new to the area I can say Bazbeaux has a longstanding reputation and loyal following. Not only are they an Indy original, but Indy Monthly magazine credits them with starting the Indy Gourmet style (innovative toppings on similar medium-thin, hand-tossed crust) the closest Indianapolis has to it's own signature pizza style.
Innovative toppings are not in short supply at Bazbeaux, with creative ingredients like cajun shrimp, capers, lump crab meat, snow peas, carrots, eggplant, and hearts of palm (probably not all at the same time lol).
We went to the Broad Ripple location mid pandemic but easily found a table (we like to go around 3pm on a Sunday). It's a dimly lit building with tables removed for physical distancing, and it was a bit too chilly to sit on the large patio overlooking the canal. I wanted to order something rather famous and Chris again got his basics.
We started with the garlic bread with cheese, which came smothered in a six-piece loaf. The lighting wasn't the best for food photography but we did our best.
I got the Pizza Alla Quattro Formaggio, which has romano, cheddar, ricotta, mozzarella, provolone, bacon and mushroom. I can’t think of a more famous four-cheese, but isn’t this really a five-cheese? The addition of mushroom and bacon gives it a satisfying chew that a lot of cheese pizzas are missing. I think I've got to add Pizza Alla Quattro Formaggio to my growing list of Indy pizzas you should know by name, I've had several people specifically mention this as their favorite and it is an original take on the traditional four cheese pizza.
That’s-a lotta ricotta! I like ricotta and all but I wasn't ready for the size of these dollops. By the last slice I was getting a little cheesed out. It was very savory, the salty bacon helped to give it some additional dimension, but next time I think I'll get the cajun Tchoupitoulas pizza.
The crust really does hold up to all the toppings, I guess it would have to with some exotic and rather heavy ingredients on the menu.
Chris got pepperoni and bacon, and noted that the Bazbeaux sauce is slightly sweet with a good consistency (no giant chunks of tomato or too watery). The candied bacon was edge to edge - what Chris calls "breakfast buffet bacon" in a good way.